How is an average dentist India faring in the market today?

Dental care is one of the highest growing sector of the medical industry in India. In fact, India is one of the leaders in Asia with respect to dental care. The good thing is that India is not only doing well in commercial dental care domain but also in the research and development domain of the same. As per current statistics, India boasts of more than 5000 dental research laboratories and more than 300 institutes who offer courses on dentistry. Most of these institutes boast of scientifically approved curriculum and experienced faculty. Needless to say, the growth of the research and development domain of dental care in India is a result of the booming market of dental treatment services consisting of the Indian population. Experts predict that in the coming five years, India will take over USA as the largest market for dental products and treatment services.

Among all types of dental products and services, a segment which has witnessed the maximum growth in the last few years is cosmetic dentistry. Cosmetic dentistry refers to dental treatments and dental surgeries with special focus on the aesthetics of the oral cavity and the teeth set. The demand for cosmetic dentistry is so high in India that a number of start-ups focussing on aesthetic dentistry have mushroomed in the major cities of the country. The main factor behind the growth of cosmetic dentistry in India is probably the growing awareness of oral beauty among the Indian youth with high disposable income. Whatever might be the reason, the growth in this segment is resulting in a lot of employment opportunity.

The government of India is also playing a very positive role in enhancing the growth of dental health care sector. The government has increased the expenditure in the health care sector in general and a significant amount has been kept aside for dentistry. Besides, the government has also announced cuts in the custom duties on imports of dental treatment products. It has allowed even an average dentist Indiato procure the required equipment and offer world class cosmetic dentistry treatment to the general population. However, it is definitely a matter of concern that India significantly lags behind in the aspect of manufacturing of dental products.

Most of the dental equipment and accessories are imported from the western countries. In fact, the implant segment of dentistry is fully dependent on the foreign companies. In case the Indian companies which are involved in dental care and treatment come up with ways to manufacture dental equipment in the country itself, the quality of dental service would increase accordingly. If everything goes well, India can also think about developing itself as a dental tourism hub in the world.